Transcript of Interview of Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III

Q: Will the sin taxes be passed today?

SP Sotto: Sin tax? Hopefully. We are trying to thresh out all the proposed amendments today and hopefully at the end of the day we will be able to reach a consensus on how to go about it because we expect that for this to be passed and enacted into law, we will ask the House to adopt the Senate version, so we have to be very careful with the Senate version and try to incorporate already all the ideas, not only from us, but also from the House of Representatives. So the period of amendments later will be very important.

Q: The House has already committed to adopt the Senate version?

SP Sotto: Yes, that is why we are all the more careful about the proposed amendments.

Q: Why is there a need for a resolution na ginawa ni Senator Ping Lacson?

SP Sotto: Pag-dating diyan sa leadership I'd rather not comment because my comment will be self-serving, so I leave it to my peers, to my colleagues.

Q: He informed you about it?

SP Sotto: He told me about it.

Q: Doon lang po sa pagkakasibak kay Deputy Ombudsman Carandang?

SP Sotto: Hindi ko alam (unclear). I am not familiar with it. Tinanggal?

Q: The resolution is parang loyalty check from your colleagues?

SP Sotto: Sabi ko nga baka self-serving kung ako ang magsalita.